Chapter 65: The Allied Forces of Two Nations and Three Divisions

Once again, the sun was setting.

From a distance, the Young Priestess spotted the approaching carriage and promptly leapt back inside the city tower. Though she was reluctant to admit it, she was now firmly tied to the Empire. She could not deny that this troublesome king was the pillar supporting the hearts of nearly two million subjects of the Empire!

People from communities thousands of kilometers to the east, west, south, and north now lived together in peace, and even the most destitute among them no longer feared freezing or starving to death. All of this was not only due to the king’s efforts, but also owed a measure to her own contributions as the Young Priestess!

“Alas, why must the kingdoms of Yan and Zhao disrupt the Empire’s tranquility?” she sighed, before leaping down from the wall, mounting her pony, and riding away.

Hearing the calls of her attendants, the Moon Goddess in her palace villa also rose to her feet. The king had returned! Though he was now her husband, she still envied Sister Jingni’s loving bond with him. Sometimes she would daydream—if only she had met him before Jingni did!

At the Empire’s grand wedding celebration, even the Yan kingdom’s diplomatic mission was absent, yet the attendance of a hundred thousand soldiers and civilians made for a lively affair. Farmers who had come with their children to tour the capital and visit the academy could not help but be moved after their visit. With such a vast city and ocean-going ships, this was surely the economic center of Liaodong.

There were three most famous places in the capital: the grand and resplendent Flame and Yellow Heaven Altar; the harbor with its massive, sail-less cargo ships; and the sixty-six meter tall Imperial Tower. The Imperial Tower housed the military and governmental departments, standing beside the palace island, and made for convenient travel for the four women of the cabinet.

After the grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to Heaven, the wedding celebration was relatively simple. Though not as grand as the state founding ceremony with its hundred thousand participants, it still brought together ten thousand children and students, as well as thousands of tribal chiefs, village heads, and township leaders.

This era had no electric lights; as dusk fell, the banquet—featuring mainly seafood, beef, and lamb—had to come to an end. The wedding was even simpler than the coronation, for these were old couples, and thus no rowdy bridal chamber antics were arranged—nor would anyone have dared to attempt them.

The entire new city was filled with joy that day, yet in the master bedroom on the villa’s third floor, the two queens were both nervous and helpless. The second floor was the residence of Flame Consort and the Young Priestess, but they were not in the palace just then. Instead, they had gone together to the altar outside the city.

The world was peaceful, with only the sound of rolling waves.

Flame Consort said nothing, but sat cross-legged on the stone platform, closing her eyes and gazing at the heavens. The Young Priestess nodded faintly; it seemed she would have company in her cultivation through the night.

…

After bidding farewell to Hu Gu, Tashan, and the other tribal chiefs and commanders, Lin Shu’s carriage hurried back to the palace. Though it was no longer his first time, it was the first occasion where all three were together in one room.

“Heh, wives, your husband has returned.”

Beneath their red bridal veils, Jingni and the Moon Goddess remained quiet. Both were experienced, yet they still blushed and could not bring themselves to speak.

This was his first time with two wives at once, a situation Lin Shu had never rehearsed in this life or the last, but with ten years of graduate studies under Eastern teachers, he was by no means unprepared.

The night stretched on—slow and lingering…

When Flame Consort and the Young Priestess returned for breakfast, there was still not a sound from the third-floor master bedroom.

The palace and capital were tranquil that morning, but at Liaohai Pass and the northern border with Zhao, things were far from quiet.

Just as Lord Pingyuan, Zhao Sheng, had plotted, the Xiongnu were more than willing to form an alliance. Under the pressure from Zhao and the Xiongnu, the weaker Linhu had no choice but to join, and in the end, even the mighty Yuezhi entered the coalition.

Liaodong lay thousands of miles from the western Yuezhi, but Zhu Ba’s conquering army had already pushed the Empire’s borders to the northwestern grasslands controlled by the Yuezhi, even destroying tribes allied with them.

Understanding the threat from the north, the Yuezhi were eager to send troops.

Thus was the alliance of two kingdoms and three tribes:

The Yan kingdom dispatched an army of 150,000, claiming 200,000. Zhao sent out 100,000 elite troops and tens of thousands of laborers, boasting a force of 150,000, among whom 30,000 were Li Mu’s elite cavalry. The Xiongnu promised 100,000 horsemen, but, wary of the Yuezhi attacking their rear, sent only 80,000. The Linhu of Hetao, with a total force of just 50,000-60,000, dispatched 20,000 cavalry, claiming 30,000. The Yuezhi sent 50,000 cavalry, joining 20,000 Linhu riders, calling it an army of 100,000.

The Yan army’s target: the garrisons and towns of Liaoxi. The strongest coalition, Zhao and the Xiongnu, claimed 300,000 troops with their sights set on the Modong garrison. The Yuezhi-Linhu coalition aimed for the Beihai garrison, their task merely to pin down the Beihai force and prevent General Yimu from reinforcing Liaodong.

According to their agreement, after the northern grand assembly, the three armies would set out simultaneously, launching attacks within a day or two. Except for the distant Beihai garrison, the Yan and Zhao armies could reach the Liaoxi and Modong camps within half a day.

After capturing Liaoxi, the Yan forces would need to defend against counterattacks from the Liaodong army—a heavy task, so their advance was swift. Commander Le Jian also intended to finish things quickly to prevent reinforcements from Liaodong.

The Yan army’s rapid advance was met with relief when they found the Liaoxi forces seemingly waiting for them.

“Haha! Xuan Jian has abandoned the city—our siege engines are wasted!” exclaimed the deputy commander and inspector, Lord Yanchun, finally at ease.

The Yan vanguard of 100,000 was mainly seasoned border soldiers, among whom 30,000 were the king’s elite guard. The Liaoxi forces, with only 40,000 infantry and cavalry, dared to meet them in open battle outside the city. Even General Le Jian, who had opposed the war, now brimmed with confidence.

“Hmph, Xuan Jian is just a common assassin—what does he know of warfare!” Lord Qing Qin rejoiced, eager for revenge at last.

“Indeed, this battle is proving easier than expected!” Zhao Jia smiled to himself, sensing it would be a close call but ultimately safe.

To reassure the Yan court, the King of Zhao had sent his crown prince, Jia, with the Yan army. Likewise, Yan Dan had been sent to Pang Nuan and Li Mu’s camp; should Yan betray the alliance, Crown Prince Dan would not survive.

The Yan army, traveling from afar, needed time to reorganize and advance. Meanwhile, the ever-prepared Xuan Jian had his troops drawn up in formation.

The Liaoxi army consisted of 20,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry, but Xuan Jian was not worried in the least. Most of the 20,000 infantry were half-armored sword-and-shield troops, bearing only powerful crossbows—neither long spears nor short pikes.

At the front stood 5,000 heavy shield infantry; their one-point-six-meter tall ironwood-composite shields formed a three-meter-high wall so that the approaching Yan army could see only two towering giant mechs looming behind.

As they drew closer, the northern army stood silent as a mountain, and the Yan soldiers could not help but grow tense, despite their 100,000 strong vanguard and 50,000 more in support.

“Black Hero, the northern army’s giants and mechanical beasts are in your Moists’ hands now!” Lord Yanchun saluted respectfully; it was time for the Moists to make their sacrificial move.

The Black Hero clenched his fist and nodded, satisfied. “Rest assured, as soon as the chariot halberdiers break the shield wall, our White Tiger and Vermilion Bird will deal with them!”

“Excellent!” Lord Yanchun was a bit disappointed—these rigid Moists still refused to break the shield wall themselves!

The Black Hero had not wanted to join the fight, but Yan Dan had spoken truly: the barbarians must never be allowed to defile the Central Plains!

Though they joined the war, the Moists’ machines would only engage the northern army’s own mechanical tigers and giants.

As soon as the Yan army crossed the pass, Xuan Jian sent messenger birds to the capital.

A sleepless Lin Shu, burning with anger, set out at once, and the long-prepared Harlon began leading 40,000 cavalry toward the Modong garrison.

Before battle could be joined, however, the armies would parley.

The elderly Yan general at Liaohai Pass, a senior statesman, rode alone to the shield wall. He was about to shout when he promptly shut his mouth.

Xuan Jian chuckled inwardly. Indeed, standing atop a three-meter shield wall gave one a better perspective—and more intimidation over enemy generals. No wonder the king always liked to speak from atop his carriage.

With no other choice, the old general craned his neck and looked up.

“General Xuan Jian, the kingdoms of Yan and Zhao, along with the Xiongnu, Yuezhi, and others, have mobilized a million soldiers on three fronts to attack the four great northern garrisons. Why do you and your Yan-born comrades not lay down your arms and return to your homeland? Rest assured, should you surrender to Yan, the king will reward you handsomely.”

It was a plea for surrender! Xuan Jian sneered coldly.

These fools did not realize that soon the enraged king would arrive. He was eager to start the battle—if he waited any longer, it would no longer be their show.

Not only was Xuan Jian unmoved, but the heavy shield soldiers remained unshaken. With the landlords and nobles gone, these soldiers had become the new elite and had no wish for the landlords to return and oppress them again.

“Old man, I won’t kill you now—get lost at once.”

With a ring of steel, the old general’s helmet split cleanly in two.

“Hmph, bastard!”

Startled, the old general hurriedly retreated.